Wednesday, January 28 | By Cate Martel |
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White House blame game over Minnesota Noem's job seems safe, for now Trump threatens Iran with more strikes Senate works through thorny shutdown deadline Trump touts newborn baby investments Fed makes interest rate decision
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Who is getting ICEd out?: |
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rushed to declare ICU nurse Alex Pretti a "domestic terrorist" before witness video could rebut that claim. Within the Trump administration, everyone seems to be blaming someone else. Axios's Marc Caputo reports that some within the administration are blaming White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller for the misleading claim that Pretti wanted to "massacre" agents. Caputo reports that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is telling folks she was just following the White House's direction. Meanwhile, Miller has shifted to distancing himself from DHS, according to Politico, and is blaming the misinformation on initial reports from Customs and Border Protection (CBP). How is the White House handling the blame?: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt directly distanced the president from Noem's and Miller's comments about the incident earlier this week. Trump also sent his border czar, Tom Homan, to Minnesota to run operations while Greg Bovino, the commander at large for the Border Patrol, was removed from his post in Minneapolis. Will Noem lose her job over this?: Numerous Democrats and a few GOP senators have called for Noem to leave her role. Noem is under mounting pressure, but so far, Trump is sticking by her. He told reporters "no" when asked if Noem would step down. He then voiced his support for the DHS chief. 💬 Follow today's live blog |
➤ NEW DETAIL ON THE PRETTI SHOOTING: |
A CBP official told Congress that two federal officers opened fire in the Minnesota shooting that killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti, including one Border Patrol agent and one CBP officer. |
The woman who recorded Pretti's shooting told CNN's Anderson Cooper she has not been contacted by anyone within the federal government as part of the investigation. 📹 Watch the CNN clip |
Trump threatens Iran again: |
It's a good time to be a newborn: |
Trump spoke at a Treasury Department summit this morning to tout his plan to put $1,000 in American newborns' investment accounts. "With every modest contribution, Trump Accounts should reach at least $50,000 in value by the time the child turns 18," Trump estimated. And took a shot at his predecessors: "Every president in modern history has left our children with nothing but debt," Trump said. "But under this administration, we're going to leave every child with real assets and a shot at financial freedom." 💻 Watch Trump's remarks |
Kristi Noem's job is actually the main obstacle in funding the government: |
A growing number of Senate Democrats are calling for Noem to be ousted from her role. In fact, that's become a major obstacle in negotiations to fund the government past Friday. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) spoke on the Senate floor on Tuesday, describing the DHS secretary as a "liar" and "incompetent." GOP senators also aren't doing much to defend the embattled Trump Cabinet member. One Republican agrees with Democrats: Republican Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.) says he has no confidence in Noem's leadership and those concerns have been communicated to the White House. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has also called for Noem to resign. Read Alexander Bolton's reporting: 'GOP on defense over Noem's future as Congress nears shutdown deadline' |
Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked during an event: | A man approached Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) during a town hall in her district on Tuesday. He yelled at her and then sprayed her with an unknown substance. The man was then tackled to the ground and arrested. The man shouted at Omar while she stood at the podium and called for Noem to resign or face impeachment over her handling of the Minneapolis shootings. Omar continued her town hall and said she would not be intimidated. 📹 Watch the footage Congressional Republicans have been speaking out against the Omar attack. Curious how Trump reacted to this?: Trump said he hasn't seen the video but claimed, without evidence, that Omar "probably had herself sprayed, knowing her." |
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today on the Trump administration's operations in Venezuela. What we've learned: Rubio told senators that a Defense Department contractor was responsible for leaking plans on the administration's Venezuela operation. (Both the New York Times and The Washington Post reportedly knew about the raid before it happened, but withheld its reporting.) 💻 Watch Rubio's testimony |
Someone at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. is NOT going to like this: |
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates steady, a move that will likely infuriate President Trump. Why Trump will likely be mad: "Trump's anger with the Fed and its chair, Jerome Powell, has grown as the president faces dismal approval ratings on the economy and historically bad consumer confidence. With less than a year until the midterm elections, Trump is scrambling to pull any lever he can to ease financial pressure on American households. But the Fed is unlikely to follow his lead Wednesday, as bank officials grow concerned with the stubbornness of inflation, which has changed little since Trump took office." Powell's press conference today will be worth watching. This will be Powell's first appearance with reporters since the Justice Department launched its criminal probe into the Fed and Powell. Related read, via The Wall Street Journal: 'Trump Has Four Finalists to Run the Fed. None of Them Are Exactly What He Wants.' |
— Trump plans to cut FEMA's workforce in half, according to a court filing by unions and public interest groups. — Amazon says it will lay off 16,000 corporate employees. Remember, they already cut 14,000 jobs in October. — First lady Melania Trump the New York Stock Exchange opening bell this morning to mark her upcoming documentary. |
The Wall Street Journal: What the Census Says About the U.S. Population, in Six Charts Foreign Affairs: The Case for Upending World Trade: How Trump's Vision Echoes America's Traditional Approach The Atlantic: If You Tax Them, Will They Leave?: A California wealth-tax proposal makes a high-stakes bet on billionaire psychology. |
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The House is out. The Senate is in. President Trump is in Washington. (All times EST) |
12:30 p.m. Senators meet for weekly caucus meetings. 📆 Today's agenda 2:30 p.m. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell holds a press conference. 💻 Livestream 3 p.m. Trump meets with auto workers in the Oval Office. 5 p.m. Trump participates in a policy meeting. |
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The news has been intense this week, so please take a moment of zen. Did you know that cows love to eat peppermints? ^ One commenter theorized this is how we get peppermint ice cream. 😉 |
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